Fatwa by: Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Muhammad bin Salih Al-Uthaymeen
Question:
Allah has created "Kiraman Katibeen" (noble scribes) for us, who record our every word and action. When it is already known that Allah is fully aware of all our apparent and hidden movements, what is the wisdom behind their creation?
Answer:
The wisdom behind certain matters is sometimes revealed to us, while at other times it remains concealed. In fact, in most cases, we are unaware of the wisdom behind various things. As Allah has said in the Quran:
"People ask you concerning the soul. Say: The soul is of the command of my Lord, and of knowledge, you (humankind) have been given only a little."
(Al-Isra: 85)
If we observe creation carefully, someone might ask, "What is the wisdom in creating the camel in this particular way, or the horse in that manner, or giving the donkey its specific shape, or forming humans with their unique structure?" Similarly, if someone inquires, "What is the wisdom behind Allah making four obligatory units (rak‘ahs) for the Zuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Isha prayers?" Why not six or eight? In such cases, we do not know the wisdom and cannot explain it. The questioner could even ask why it wasn’t made different.
From this, we understand that the wisdom behind most divine rulings is hidden from us. Given that, we can conclude that if Allah allows us to understand the wisdom behind certain aspects of creation or religious matters, it is purely due to His boundless grace and the knowledge He bestows. However, if we cannot comprehend the wisdom behind something, it does not diminish our status in any way.
Now, addressing the question at hand: What is the wisdom behind Allah assigning "Kiraman Katibeen" to record our deeds, even though He is already aware of them?
The wisdom is that Allah intends to demonstrate to us that He has arranged all matters with the highest level of organization and precision. This includes appointing "Kiraman Katibeen" to record every word and deed of the children of Adam, even though Allah already knows them before they occur. This is a sign of Allah's perfect care for humanity and His profound wisdom in managing the universe.
And Allah knows best.
Question:
Allah has created "Kiraman Katibeen" (noble scribes) for us, who record our every word and action. When it is already known that Allah is fully aware of all our apparent and hidden movements, what is the wisdom behind their creation?
Answer:
The wisdom behind certain matters is sometimes revealed to us, while at other times it remains concealed. In fact, in most cases, we are unaware of the wisdom behind various things. As Allah has said in the Quran:
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
"People ask you concerning the soul. Say: The soul is of the command of my Lord, and of knowledge, you (humankind) have been given only a little."
(Al-Isra: 85)
If we observe creation carefully, someone might ask, "What is the wisdom in creating the camel in this particular way, or the horse in that manner, or giving the donkey its specific shape, or forming humans with their unique structure?" Similarly, if someone inquires, "What is the wisdom behind Allah making four obligatory units (rak‘ahs) for the Zuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Isha prayers?" Why not six or eight? In such cases, we do not know the wisdom and cannot explain it. The questioner could even ask why it wasn’t made different.
From this, we understand that the wisdom behind most divine rulings is hidden from us. Given that, we can conclude that if Allah allows us to understand the wisdom behind certain aspects of creation or religious matters, it is purely due to His boundless grace and the knowledge He bestows. However, if we cannot comprehend the wisdom behind something, it does not diminish our status in any way.
Now, addressing the question at hand: What is the wisdom behind Allah assigning "Kiraman Katibeen" to record our deeds, even though He is already aware of them?
The wisdom is that Allah intends to demonstrate to us that He has arranged all matters with the highest level of organization and precision. This includes appointing "Kiraman Katibeen" to record every word and deed of the children of Adam, even though Allah already knows them before they occur. This is a sign of Allah's perfect care for humanity and His profound wisdom in managing the universe.
And Allah knows best.